Member News

5 Points of Family & Biz Balance

by Tina Forsyth on June 2, 2010

article by Tiffany Johnson of Vasppro.com

Please enjoy this article I wrote while traveling on a family vacation last month. Just a simple reminder of how we can get a bit out of balance if we are not careful and intentional ~ Tiffany Johnson

Literally as I am writing this article I am in the car driving with my family to our vacation week in Florida! Few experiences are more amusing than locking yourself up in a car for 9 hours with a 9 yr old and a 12 yr old (hubby too, of course). Currently a very competitive game of I-spy is keeping the 3 of them entertained as I take a moment to share with you something I have recently been struggling with in my OBM business.

Of course, I am sure having just explained the reality of my surroundings you can guess my dilemma? If balance between family and biz was your first thought you were so RIGHT!

I love being a business owner; specifically, I love the service I offer as an online business manager. Unfortunately my passion and love for this industry and my services are beginning to wane due to what is starting to feel like choices of sacrifices I am really not willing to make.

As an OBM it is just in my nature to get things done, take care of the to do’s and make sure the balls are going in the direction they are supposed to be in… specifically, not ending up on the floor! But what do you do when you look around and realize the balls that are getting dropped aren’t the ones your clients have tossed in the air but instead the ones your kids, hubby, church, or friends are tossing around.

All of a sudden I look around and there is a mass of laundry desperately needing my attention, my daughter is talking about her new best friend (and the only name I remember is her ‘old’ best friend), and my son just wore the same pair of shorts to school 2 days in a role! Trust me when I say I am completely embarrassed to be sharing this with you… but at the same time feel I am not the only one, so I am hoping this can be an encouragement to other devoted business owners who have to make the hard choices!

(Daughter just asked hubby “what if we run into a tornado”… my husband replied “I would just outrun it!” The good news is if you are reading this article means all is well and we did not have to play chicken with a tornado!… sorry I just had to add that. ;-) )

Okay, where was I? Ah yes, devoted business owners have to make hard choices. So when is enough, enough? And too much, is simply too much? Well, to be honest I wish I had an answer to that… I believe each us have to determine those answers for ourselves. But I wanted to share with you my 5 point balancing commitment:

  1. Take time out daily to pray and meditate so that I can BE, with all of me in every moment. Full of purpose, passion and persistence! This is where I find the source hope for the to do’s of my day!
  2. Plan and work a manageable schedule that includes reasonable work hours, family quality time, and household chores (which admittedly I do not LOVE and tend to procrastinate!).
  3. Forgive myself for all the ways I wasn’t “Super OBM, Super Woman, Super Mom, Super Wife, well… just not super!”
  4. Take time in the evenings to lay out the next day’s activities – 15 minutes today will save an hour tomorrow (if you fail to plan you plan to fail ;-) ).
  5. Live with absolute gratitude for the blessings and favor I have in my life, my faith, my family, my biz and my health!

In closing I am challenging each of you to assess your priorities. Determine what is needed for the balance of your life and be faithful to the commitment you make to yourself to see it fulfilled. I believe in you! I believe in me and I know we will give an amazing industry greater service when we serve ourselves authentically this way.

Comments, thoughts?

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Member Event: How to Respond to RFPs so Clients take Notice

by Tina Forsyth on May 26, 2010

Date: Tuesday, June 15th at 9:00am pacific / noon eastern

A Request for Proposal (RFP) comes in from what appears to be your perfect client.   You ARE the best candidate for the role.  You’re eager to capture their attention.

So how do you respond?  How much information do you include?  What details are a MUST to include?  Do you include your rates?  What about a resume?

We’ve seen our share of RFP responses and sadly, we’ve seen some responses from fantastic virtual professionals (like yourself) who are short-selling themselves for what could be a perfect opportunity.

Frankly, we’re tired of seeing you short-sell your talents and we want to help YOU demonstrate the expert you are to the business owners you want to work with.    That’s why we’ve decided to host this call – to share the do’s and don’ts of responding to RFPs.

In this call we’ll discuss:

  • Specifics to look for in an RFP (to help you determine whether it’s even worth responding to)
  • Top 5 details to include in your response to a RFP
  • What to NEVER include your RFP response
  • The #1 reason biz owners will immediately delete your RFP response without further consideration

Cindy Greenway is the author of Virtually Successful: 8 Simple Ways for Virtual Assistants to Find (and Keep) Clients and Co-founder and Lead Trainer of Hot Skills VA Training. Since the start of her VA business in 2003, she has worked with highly respected and successful online-based businesses and now focuses her time on training and mentoring virtual professionals as well as supporting the growth of the industry by educating the business community.

IAOBM Members: You can access the recording for this call in the Member Area. If you are not an IAOBM member yet, find out more about IAOBM Membership Benefits by clicking here: http://www.obmconnect.com/membership-benefits

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Online Business Manager Celebrations

by Tina Forsyth on May 6, 2010

I tell ya, nothing makes me happier than hearing how OBMs are out there making a difference for their clients AND loving what they do. Here are just a few cool wins from some of our members of the International Association of Online Business Managers  – join me in giving them a virtual toast!

“Hi Tina, I’m the new OBM for Stacey Hylen and Lou Bortone. I’ve also joined Leesa Barnes’ Virtual Event Team. Companies and entrepreneurs hire Leesa to create and coordinate virtual events for them and she’s growing by leaps and bounds. I’ve also been doing a lot of training in the area of Memberships and building Membership Communities. Having a blast!”
- Cindy Morus, CindyMorus.com @cindymorus

“I’m celebrating my first client who has hired me as her OBM from day one vs. working into that role. WOOT! WOOT! :) ”
- Raven Howard, VirtualRavenMarketing.com, @virtualraven

“I am celebrating a client’s business launch this week. Back in August I helped her design and launch a radio show including all the business communications and online presence like Facebook, Twitter, web site, etc. This week we expanded from a 1 day per week show to a 5 day per week radio network adding network hosts and subject matter experts. We still have “pieces in a process” like the new web site to support the network and such, but I am really excited to have been a part of such a fast-moving and fun project.”
- Donna Frindt, @donnafrindt

“My celebration is the successful launch of a client’s new program. Client thrilled.  Meeting tomorrow to discuss product funnel and what’s next.”
- Brenda Violette, VBSVirtualAssist.com @vbsvirtual

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This I Believe

by Tina Forsyth on May 5, 2010

by IAOBM Member & Certified OBM Lynn Pearce
(a nod to the NPR and CBC radio series)

I believe that OBMs are key to the future success of small business.

When my job disappeared two and a half years ago, my natural inclination was to jump right back in the same pond – but I didn’t. In my heart I knew that pond had grown stale for me and I needed a fresh place to get my working mojo back again.

I looked at other ponds – started to dip my toes in their waters and was intrigued by what I found. I learned a lot, but something still didn’t feel quite right.

Then a couple of months ago I read about another pond and without thinking too hard and just listening to my heart, I jumped in. I enrolled in OBM certification training less than a week before it started.

I kept my intention clear – be open to whatever comes up during the training.

Suddenly training was over and then prep for certification was over and I was in the midst of the crazy world of client projects. And that was when I got it.

I love technology. It has been a part of my life for longer than I care to remember. I love how it helps me do things that before were just a dream. I love that it connects me for a virtual coffee break with my friends and family 5000 miles away. I especially love that I understand it and that I can figure out ways to have it help other people, too.

I realized that my understanding of the online world can help people who are not there yet make the transition to being there because it is only going to get bigger.

It might be my local insurance agent who wants to understand how people view insurance so that she can help them see its value, or a friend who is starting a new career as a wellness coach and needs to have people know that she is open for business. It might be someone who found my website and needs some advice on how to make their online business work better – it might even be a group in my community who want to reach out to more folks in the area.

So when people ask what I do and I tell them – the connection is almost instant. Either they, or somebody they know, needs that kind of help right now and when can I meet. The internet still seems like a big and scary place to people – especially when it comes to taking their business there – so they need us to help out and to do what we as OBMs do best – help them figure out the way.

That’s when I also realized that this OBM pond of ours is way bigger than we might think!

Comments, thoughts?

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Member Event: Stop Networking and Start Connecting

by Tina Forsyth on May 4, 2010

Date: Tuesday, May 25th at 9:00am pacific / 12:00pm eastern

Even though we work in a virtual world, as Online Business Managers it is essential that we build a strong business network both for ourselves and our clients. And yes, this does mean getting out from behind the computer every once in a while and meeting people face to face (gasp! ;) )

In fact, we are firm believers that your success depends on your getting out and connecting with people live and in person. The business world is changing and you need to be willing and comfortable in doing so – or opportunities may pass you by.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Tips to relieve the anxiety of networking
  • Ways to identify “your people” in a room
  • What to say and what NOT to say
  • How to have fun and throw your own party!

Bryn spent 20 years in Corporate America as a passionate leader of high-performing teams and endless multi-million dollar projects. One of her secrets to success?  Her ability to connect and collaborate.  She is now bringing that same passion along with her laser-focused connection strategies to her clients and broader on-line community. Her Goal:  To make connecting FUN and PROFITABLE for everyone! To learn more about Bryn, visit www.brynjohnson.com

IAOBM Members: You can access the recording for this call in the Member Area. If you are not an IAOBM member yet, find out more about IAOBM Membership Benefits by clicking here: http://www.obmconnect.com/membership-benefits

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Drumroll Please…

by Tina Forsyth on April 16, 2010

I’d like to introduce you to the group of fabulous women who successfully completed our admittedly tough Certification Week process.


Cindy
Morus		 Heather
Logan		 Raven
Howard		 Lisa
Wells
Lynn
Pearce
Sandy
Zuniga
 

Denise
Haney

  

Elana
Carter

  

Larissa
Parks

  

Jen
Arensberg

  

Renee
Henderson

All of these lovely ladies have been granted the designation of Certified Online Business ManagerTM – I am SO very proud of these ladies and I want to tell you why.

  • They have invested significant time, money and energy in the Online Business Manager Training program (at a time when many aren’t willing to do so) - which shows their commitment to being an outstanding OBM for their clients. They aren’t just playing around or dabbling in being an OBM – they are ready!
  • They understand the official role of the Online Business Manager - and are truly dedicated to stepping in and managing all the day-to-day activities of your business, so you don’t have to. They aren’t just calling themselves OBMs and doing only part of the role.
  • They bring a wealth of experience in different industries and backgrounds to the role – chances are that regardless of what you need, you will find that person here in this group. A really varied bunch.
  • They understand the needs of the high-end business owner - yes, that means they *get us* as the nutty entrepreneurs that we can be, and are willing to put up with us! Let’s face it, we can be very demanding as business owners and we need someone who can keep up right? (We spend ALOT of the OBM training in this area.)
  • They tackled our admittedly tough Certification process and came out shining. For more info on what our Certification process entails check out this post from last year (note, it’s the same process now with different business owners each time).

Click here to visit the OBM Directory to learn more about these truly talented women (and yes, many of them are still available for hire.) Our next Certification Week starts May 3rd, getting ready for round 2 with another group of trainees!

So all of this leads to the obvious question… How do you know if you are ready to hire an Online Business Manager?

>> Click here to take the Take the ‘Am I Ready to Hire an Online Business Manager?’ Assessment.

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I don’t really have anything to say…

by Tina Forsyth on April 16, 2010

So I’ve spent the past few days racking my brain, trying to come up with my next brilliant ezine article. ;-)

And yet here I sit, my brain empty and I still have nothing to say… which is unusual for me. And so I’ve been thinking about all the changes that have been going on in my business lately and wondering if there is something I can share from this journey.

It’s been a SUPER busy 6 months for me… in that time I’ve:

  • Joined a high-end mastermind program to get support/guidance re: all the big things I want to do for folks in my market… best thing I’ve done for myself in years. :)
  • Officially let go of my last couple of 1-1 OBM clients, so that I can now fully focus on providing training & support to Online Business Managers and the business owners who need to hire them. This was a toughie in some ways, big shift for me and my business to let go of these clients…
  • Been on six – yes six!! – business trips… and have another one at the end of this month. I tell ya, considering that I really prefer not to travel (with 2 small kids at home) this has been quite the stretch for me. All for good reason, but still challenging, too.
  • Did another session of the OBM Training & Certification training in February, with a brand new format and an awesome group of ladies.
  • Had a bit of a travel snafu re: the OBM Training program that really threw me for a loop… one of those ‘eek! My business could have fallen apart here’ moments if I let it (which I didn’t, but of course!).
  • Launched and filled the first ever Online Business Manager Mentorship program, to provide ongoing strategy, support and guidance to an intimate group throughout the year.
  • Hosted the Virtually Successful Telesummit with Cindy Greenway, something we have wanted to do for a LONG time.
  • Hired my own Online Business Manager Tiffany to join the team and take over the day-to-day stuff.

K, I’m tired just reading this list. And then I have a whole other list of upcoming stuff that I’m working on which is twice as long and oh so fun!

Which actually brings me to the point of this (non)article… which is that I’m tired! I actually had to laugh, I was sharing all of this on a coaching call with David last week re: “here’s what’s going on… what do I do?” And his response “Take a rest Tina, you need a break.”

I was talking to a fellow biz owner about an upcoming project we are collaborating on together, and she said to me “hey Tina, we don’t need to do this right away… take a breather here and let’s plan this for the summer.” My first thought was “really? but I want to do it all NOW!”… then my second thought was AHHHHHHHHH.

So needless to say I have nothing to say because I need a break – if I’m 100% transparent here, I’ve let myself get dangerously close to burn-out and that simply isn’t acceptable.

So I’m taking a breather… officially taking a week off in May, and up until then purposely creating some breathing space throughout my days. As Andrea Lee would say – one of my favorite tidbits from her Wealthy Thought Leader Conference last month – it’s time for some “lemon sorbet for the brain.”

And that’s all I have to say, for now. :)

Comments, thoughts?

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Member Event: Understanding the New FTC Guidelines for Online Businesses

by Tina Forsyth on April 9, 2010

Date: Wednesday, April 21st at 8am pacific / 11am eastern

Late in 2009, the FTC revised their guidelines which greatly affected those who run online businesses and early 2010 Mastercard and Visa, as well as other merchant processors, have conveyed some new regulations in response to longtime complaints from customers that are being billed for products they didn’t want or felt they were being misled into buying.

As Online Business Managers it is essential that we understand these rules on behalf of our clients, so that we can ensure that they aren’t crossing any lines that could potentially cause issues (such as getting their merchant account shut down, eek!).

And yet, trying to sort through these FTC changes can be daunting to say the least – so we’ve invited Lisa Wells to do a very special call for us and explain the new FTC guidelines in plain English.

On this call, you’ll learn:

  • What the FTC Guidelines are about and why you should care
  • Who these guidelines are for
  • How these guidelines affect use of testimonials
  • New rules around continuity programs

Lisa will lead you through practical steps you can take now to ensure that your clients stay compliant with these new rules.

Lisa founded Coast2Coast Business Support Solutions in July 2005 after more than 15 years of experience working in the real estate and information technology industries. She found her passion working with computers and helping others be more productive in their day to day jobs.  After Lisa’s husband received orders to relocate from Southern California to North Carolina in June 2005, Lisa found herself joining other like-minded virtual entrepreneurs and opened an online business. In the spring of 2010, she transitioned from a virtual assistant to an online business manager and now works with 7-figure entrepreneurs in managing their online businesses. You can visit her on the web at lisarwells.com or read her blog at marketingmindsetblog.com

IAOBM Members: You can access the recording for this call in the Member Area. If you are not an IAOBM member yet, find out more about IAOBM Membership Benefits by clicking here: http://www.obmconnect.com/membership-benefits

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Saying no is just as important as saying yes…

by Tina Forsyth on April 8, 2010

The Virtually Successful Telesummit starts on Monday – woo hoo! I’ve been wanting to do this Telesummit for a long time as I’ve seen an issue brewing in the virtual support industry for some time now…

And that is when someone tries to “do it all” – when they brand themselves as a generalist and try to be all things to their clients.

We’ve seen it happen time and again with Virtual Assistants and other virtual support professionals. They start a business on a foundation of “I can help you with anything that you need” and it quickly spirals out of control. Not only is it exhausting to try to fulfill your client’s every need – you will hit the dreaded bursting point! – it can actually turn into a messy situation of making promises that you don’t have the skills or ability to actually fulfill. Balls start to drop, things start to fall apart and client relationships become irrevocably damaged.

The key to being able to create the business that you really want AND be able to serve your clients in the best way possible is to specialize.

You need to be able to say “no” to the things that you can’t (or don’t want to) do in order to be able to say “yes” to the things that you enjoy and do very well.

So there is a decision to be made – you need to be very clear on what it is that you DO offer to clients. And that is what the Virtually Successful Telesummit is about – we are showcasing various areas of specialty so that you can truly decide, once and for all, what it is that you do and don’t want to offer.

We’ve pulled together a roster of super cool speakers – people who are specialists themselves and are going to give us the inside scoop on what they do. Click here to check them out and learn more about all the goodies they will be sharing.

It all starts Monday – if you are a virtual support professional who is ready to get laser-focused on what you offer be sure to join us. It’s going to be a blast.

>> Register Now

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Member Event: Declutter Your Business! Earn More Money, Get More Clients, and Increase Your Productivity

by Tina Forsyth on March 31, 2010

Date: Tuesday, April 6th at 9:00am pacific / noon eastern

You look at your desk, your inbox, your calendar and you’re overwhelmed.  You’ve promised yourself that you’ll take care of it…you’ll finally get organized and get a handle on everything but you’re too busy today… “Okay” you say to yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow!”  The clutter that surrounds you impacts both you and your business.  Your clutter is costing you time and money.

Join us on this discussion to learn:

  • The 3-biggest organizing mistakes I see people making every day and how you can avoid ethem.
  • That Staples® is WRONG!  Why buying the newest cool gadget or system is a waste of your money and will never work.
  • How to organize your time, your to-dos and your things so that you can take control and make tomorrow into today!

Our guest expert for this Member-Only call is Carrie Greene of CarrieThru Coaching & Organizing Services. Carrie Greene is a coach and decluttering expert.  Carrie gets that clutter is not just about your stuff but about the type of life you want to lead.  Her powerful techniques have helped thousands of people calm the overwhelm so that they can escape their clutter and gain control over their time, space and things.  Carrie is passionate about helping individuals see beyond their clutter and discover what is truly important to them. Visit Carrie’s website www.CarrieThru.com to sign up for the FREE ecourse 4-Steps to Get Organized: Calm the Overwhelm, Create Space and Reclaim Your Freedom.

Call-in information for live call is on your member login page. Missed the live call? Get the audio download on your member login page within 48 hours. If you do not have your password, e-mail us at support@obmconnect.com

If you are not an IAOBM member yet, find out more about IAOBM Membership Benefits by clicking here: http://www.obmconnect.com/membership-benefits

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